Friday, April 24, 2015

4-24-2015


Mary’s Minute

“Don’t hesitate to live every moment out of your life in the best way you can because living is once, chances are rare and nothing is certain.”

                                                                                                                                                ~ Blaze Olaminday

As Perry Central students, staff, and community grieve the loss of a student we are all reminded about how precarious life is.  We realize that life can change in an instant, and that every moment is a gift. 

I am reminded of a family story that some of you may have heard me tell before.  As a child, my dad often told my siblings and me, “Remember what Jesus said: Love one another.”  It was not meant in an overly religious way, but as a reminder to be kind to each other always.  One day my parents left a note on the kitchen table with directions while they were out, and the post script was my dad’s typical direction to us, “Remember what Jesus said.”  He didn’t need to add the, “love one another,” because we knew exactly what it meant.  This time, though, he added another post script that seemed to run together as he left a direction for us to help out with the chores of running a hotel/boarding house.  Right under the words, “Remember what Jesus said,” he added, “Clean room 9.”  We have laughed for forty years about how Jesus’ commandment merged with the task at hand. 

The accidental merging of the phrases by my dad always helps me in times of tragedy.  They remind me that we must always remember to love one another – to treat others with kindness and treasure every moment with our loved ones.  By adding the, “Clean room 9,” we are reminded that as difficult as it is, life goes on.  We must love one another, but we also must take care of the tasks at hand.  It is not easy for school to go on as usual with the tragic loss of a precious student looming, but somehow we must.  Now more than ever, we understand the value of being a caring community and being there for each other.  Thank you for, “remembering what Jesus said,” as you try to, “clean room 9,” as difficult as it is to be “normal” through a tough time.

                                                                                                                                Mary

Friday, April 17, 2015

4-17-2015







Mary’s Minute
“People who consider themselves victims of their circumstances will always remain victims unless they develop a greater vision for their lives.”
~ Stedman Graham
Life is full of unexpected circumstances and even our pure being is unpredictable.  The circumstance into which we were born is unexplainable.  We could have been planted across the globe.  I think most of us would agree that our circumstances could have been better, but most of all our circumstances could be much worse.  At the most basic level, many of the things we take for granted like food, clean water, and shelter are not the norm for millions of people who happened to be planted somewhere else. 
It is wonderful that in life we all have the opportunity to control our destiny and in many ways determine our circumstances, even though so much is out of our control.  The one thing that we control is how we interpret our circumstances.  We can choose to see where we landed or the events in our life as victims, or we can see them as opportunities and be thankful for what we have.  The Graham quote reminds us that by seeing circumstances in a positive way we will achieve more.  Happiness comes from seeing opportunities.  Victims do not tend to be happy.  They are focused on themselves and their own negative circumstances, rather than seeing life as more than their current situation. 
Life is not easy, and I marvel at what some people I know have been through and yet they still are focused on helping others and being happy.  The key to their success is not seeing themselves as victims, but being thankful for all that life holds.
                                                            Have a great week!
                                                                        Mary



Friday, April 10, 2015

4-10-2015

Mary’s Minute
"Treat everyone with politeness, even those who are rude to you - not because they are nice, but because you are."                                                          - Author Unknown

I recently heard about a lady from Michigan who was celebrating her 115th birthday and reporters seeking to find the secret to her longevity.  The report noted that she loved fast food and watched a lot of television. (She loved Wheel of Fortune.)  When pressed for the reason for her long life, she revealed it was simply, "being nice."
When we view life from an empathetic stance we want to be nice because we know how it makes others feel, but it is more than that. Being nice is a reflection of who we are, and it it makes us feel better and maybe even live longer. I am proud that at Perry Central we strive to be nice because we truly care about our students, parents, and community. We also are nice because it is who we are. On rare occasions people are not polite to us, but we respond by being nice - not because of them, but because of us. School board member, Glenn Etienne, shared with me a comical take on this notion from a Roadhouse movie clip where Patrick Swayze tells bouncers to, "be nice."  (Warning - the clip is for an adult audience.)
Like the Michigan woman who credits her long life to being nice, I credit much of Perry Central's success to the action of kindness, reflecting who we are and what we believe. I am proud to part of this "nice" tradition.
                            Have a great week!
                                   Mary

Friday, April 3, 2015

4-3-2015


Mary’s Minute

 

“It usually takes me more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech.”

~ Mark Twain

Mark Twain quotes nearly always are ripe with sarcasm and make us chuckle.  This one is no exception, but it also has a good message.  In a way, life is a series of impromptu speeches.  We don’t always know what to expect, yet we need to be prepared.  This week Perry Central hosted luncheon for community leaders and employers to talk about career and tech education at Perry Central and beyond with a national speaker.  Dr. James Stone was informative and entertaining, but I was won over by our own students who, along with the employer/mentors, shared their experiences as interns.  One student shared how the internship had changed his life.  He said he knew he wanted to work in the automotive field but he couldn’t afford to go to college.  Through his mentor he is developing the job and life skills necessary to be a productive employee.  These students are not being trained for the precise occupation.  They are preparing for an impromptu speech that awaits them in life.  They are learning to work as a part of a team, to communicate, and to solve problems.  They are learning skills that will translate into any path that life takes them.  Each day we all learn things that will help us prepare for the unexpected in life. 

                                                                                Have a good week and a blessed Easter weekend!

                                                                                                Mary